2012 Season, Game Post

Game 2012.91: Angels at Tigers

36 Comments

Detroit Tigers, 47-43, 2 1/2 games behind Chicago.

A lot went right for the Tigers last night, as they beat the Angels and finally gained a game on the White Sox.  Perhaps no moment was better than in the 7th inning, when Berry singled, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, and tied the game on the sometimes-elusive sacrifice fly.  The Boesch Basch was the cherry on top.

When was the last time the Tigers had someone in the top 10 in stolen bases? Q-Berry is now 13th with a bullet, as one used to say.

As Kevin noted, there was an almost playoff-like atmosphere to the game last night.  In fact, if the playoffs were to be held today, the first game would be a one-game wild card matchup between the Tigers and the Angels.

That game would not likely feature Jacob Turner, making his 2nd start of the season, or Garrett Richards, who is 0-1, 12.46 in his last 2 starts.  The forecast calls for an 80% chance of offensive outbursts.

Turner’s outing today could be a bit of a showcase; his name comes up regularly in the trade deadline rumors, which now include, in addition to the unlikely Dempster and more likely Scutaro rumors, one that has the Tigers pursuing pretty much half of the Diamondbacks.

Stat of the Day: Latroy Hawkins, who came in last night in the 7th, intentionally walked Prince Fielder, who was 3-4 lifetime against him.  Hawkins fared better against dad: Cecil Fielder was a career 1-for-11 against him.

Today’s Player of the Pre-game: Quintin Berry.  Berry is one of two players in the league with at least 10 stolen bases who has yet to be caught stealing (14-for-14).  The other is across the field, Maicer Izturis (11-for-11).

Today’s It-Worked-Last-Night Lineup:

  1. Austin Jackson CF
  2. Quintin Berry LF
  3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
  4. Prince Fielder 1B
  5. Delmon Young DH
  6. Brennan Boesch RF
  7. Jhonny Peralta SS
  8. Alex Avila C
  9. Ramon Santiago 2B

36 thoughts on “Game 2012.91: Angels at Tigers”

  1. Tigers Stat of the Day: The Tigers have a winning pct of .704 when Kelly plays. And we thought Raburn was good (.571). Incidentally, both Fielder and Cabrera at a measly .522. Moving Kelly to first and Raburn to third is obviously indicated.

  3. why do I feel a sense of dread [after Pujols’ single in the 1st]?……… 🙁

  7. It looks like Smokey is conceding this game before the second inning is even over ….. by keeping Turner in there!!

  8. Turner might have just earned a trip to next year’s All Star game… as the designated pitcher for the Home Run Derby

    As Coleman pointed out, whatever ‘trade value’ Turner had prior to today, its all but gone now.

    1. Trade value (such as it is with any AAA “prospect”) may be down, but tradability may be up, since perhaps DD and company may be more willing to include him in a deal. Obviously he isn’t going to help this year (and they do need rotation help), but the “talent potential” rationale should still hold some sway given his youth, scouting report upside, etc., etc., etc.

  9. JL loves to do this, let rookie pitchers earned their stripes. Really hasn’t worked out too well.

    1. Next weeks perhaps we will be treated to a Detroit News Sports article exclaiming the genius behind being frequently “aggressive” with young pitchers, leaving them in long enough to get their fanny handed to them, and how it really [counter-intuitively] contributes to more wins later on (over the course of a season, decades, or some other unspecified amount of time).

  12. Well then, I’m hoping he gets a career ending injury. I just never want to see him in a Tiger uniform again.

  13. Chris, are you 12? He may never achieve his full potential as a top of the rotation starter, but he’s no Nate Cornejo. He’s going to be a major leaguer and I’ll gladly take even-money bets that he notches at least 50 wins over the course of his career. I’ll readily take bets on 100 and 200 wins as well, as long as you give me odds to cover the risk of injury.

    In other words, breathe. It’s just one game. Every teams needs to run out a AAA starter a few times a year and they generally don’t win. Today was our day to be the whipping boy.

  15. hmmm……and he’s the best in the Tigers’ farms……..3 HRs in 2 IP; ERA of 31.50…….I see we have alot to look forward to……… 🙁

  16. Jeff, I’ll bet you that Turner never makes more than 10 more game appearances in the bigs, for any team. We’ve had him here in a few games already and he hasn’t shown us anything but hopelessness. It is dispicable that he is regarded as our top pitching prospect.

    1. I’ll take that bet, Chris. How much? Do you want to set up the escrow or should I?

  17. I feel sorry for Below, who has pitched very well, but only gets to see action in games like this for the most part (after tonight the Tigers will be 4-20 in games he pitches).

  18. We’re not gonna win them all. But we do need to win this series. Head to head v. LAA may be very important in a few months.

  19. Jeff, I wouldn’t be able to do that bet, due to the inherent flaw where you could possibly win and collect this year, but I would have to wait years, even a decade, as he could tool around in the minors. We would have to construct a time value for it to be fair.

    1. That’s a reasonable concern. Neither you nor I can claim the winnings until he he’s been out of baseball for 4 years. Is that fair?

  20. I think it is Kelly Time. Can we get 3+ innings out of him do you think. It would be entertaining anyway.

  21. well, now it’s been clearly established Raburn can’t play LF either……what else?

  22. Interesting trade idea on ESPN Insider today by Dave Cameron:

    Miami Marlins third baseman Hanley Ramirez, starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez and second baseman Omar Infante to Detroit Tigers for third baseman Nick Castellanos, starting pitcher Jacob Turner and outfielder Delmon Young.

    He suggest that Hanley would move to the OF and then to SS next year (Peralta is a club option).

    I would be on board with this.

    1. From a ‘win now perspective’, it would definately fill a few short-term needs for DET (another SP and respectible 2B that can hit + Ramirez), but i doubt the Marlins would OK this deal. Although Sanchez has put in a few very solid years, this year has seen some decline in few key areas.

      Personally, i’d rather the Tigers work out a deal for Felix Hernandez and their 2B Ackley, as David Schoenfield speculated http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/27005/the-mariners-should-trade-king-felix – i could envision a Hernandez-Ackley for Turner or Porcello, Oliver, Marte, Smyly, Brantly, Castellanos, DYoung, Berry or Dirks… hell, i’d even throw in Raburn. Probably a pipe-dream.

Comments are closed.